Armored electrical plug



Oct. 11, 1932.

W. HUPPERT ARMORED ELECTRICAL PLUG Filed April 7.' 1927 INVENTO mw.

Patented Oct. 11,1932

WILLIAIVL HUPPERT, OF` NEW YORK, N. Y.

ARMORED ELECTRICAL. PLUG Application led. April 7,

This invention relates to armored electrical devices.

Pursuant to my invention, the electrical device such as a plug comprises al shell formed of sections of suitable insulating material,

having the required recesses lor other suitable interior formation for receiving the de-A sired electrical contacts or set of the same, and further comprising eXteriorly disposed strips, plates yor thelike of metal or like rigid non-fragile material to thereby armor the insulation sectionsto protect the same from chipping, cracking or breakage, and also to relieve the insulating material from localized strains.

`Pursuant to my iment-ion, ,the exterior armor is preferably formed or disposed to anchor wholly or partly supplemental parts such as the cord protecting spring, or the electrical cord per se, or the like, thereby insuring permanency of position of such anchored.

parts and effecting relief of strain otherwise sustained` by the insulation material or other delicate part of the electrical device.

the view shows a portion broken away in ver.

401, tical section to illustrate otherwise hidden parts;

Fig. 2 is a central section elevation on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an exploded inner u' 1, on a slightly reduced scale, and showing In the more preferred forms of my inven-` 1927. Serial` No; 181,644.

the electrical'cord and its cord protecting spring in distorted positions.

leferring to the drawing, lthe shell of insulation ofthe electrical device illustrated, namely a plug, comprises a half-shell section 10 and co-acting half-shell section 11. Such multipleinsulating shell sections aref preferably of duplicate molded parts, in this in stance two, `one form of such preferred constructiony being described more fully herein` after. f

It will be understood that the inner face portionsof such molded insulation parts are suitably recessed andv tapped or otherwise formed tovprovide for the reception and retentionof the electrical contact elements, screws or-V equivalent for securing elec trical .connection of rthe electrical leads,

also toY anchor any of the electrical elements and for such or other purposes as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

Exteriorly of such shell of insulation, I provide suitable armoring means and in the drawing I have illustrated the oppositely disposed'L plates 12, 13 ofiron, steel,.or aluminum, either cast or shaped, such material being either inherently non-corrosive or rendered non-corrosive .by plating, painting, dipping or the like. Such protecting plates 12, 123, 80 preferably extend from the forward end face 14 of the insulating material, substantially wholly about theopposite lateral faces and also to and about the rearward end. face thereof.

As appears more fully hereinafter, such armorin-g means y12, 18 affords anchoring means for the cord protecting spring 15 or "equivalent element. f

To locate suchv armoring means 12, 13 on 9C the insulation shell, 10, 11 I provide openings in` thef respective armoring sections 12, 13

reoi'sterino' with the o eninvs intheinsulation p face plan viewk b D p b 45- of a two-section style of shell embodying my for the reception of the required retaining screws, bolts, rivets, enlarged eyelets or the Si like. Preferably, I employ screws as such retaining means and form the face of certaink ofsuch openings of the armoring means with a threading forretaining such screws. In y Fig. 2 I have shown such preferred form,

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namely the openings 16, 17 in the respective recessed portions 18, 19 of the plate 13, and the flanged recesses 20, 21 in the recessed portions 22, 23 of the cor-acting plate 12, said flanges 20, 21 beino provided with threading corresponding to the threading 24, 25 of the screws 26, 27. The extent of depression of the recesses 16, 17 should be sufficient to countersink the heads of the screws 26, 27.

It will be noted that the openings 28, 29 in the respective insulation sections 10, 11 for receiving the upper bolt 26 are disposed in spaced relation from the respective recesses designated generally 30 on the inner faces of such sections for receiving the electrical elements designated generally 31, and thereby precluding the leakage or arcing of current from such electrical elements 31 to the screw 26 or equivale-nt.V Likewise, the openings 32,

' 33 in the respective insulation sections 10, 11

are similarly located for the reception of the screw 27 or equivalent.

As -above indicated, my armoring means preferably further comprises a rearwardly extending portion for anchoring the cord protecting spring 15 or equivalent. As one form of such construction, I have cast or otherwise formed the respective armoring plates 10, 11 with an extension such as the stepped cylindrical extensions 34, 35 of graduated reduced diameter. In this instance of two-sectional type of my armoring means, the stepped cylindrical flanges 34, 35, shown as two in number, are each of semi-cylindrical shape and interconnected by an intermediate flangeportion 36. The number of such cylindrical extensions may be as preferred.

The inner end 37 of the cord protecting spring 15 is readily assembled with such twoflange extension 34, 35, at the time of assembling the electrical plug, and such stepped relationshipk of the flanges 34, 35 affording a simple and highly effective anchoring of such spring end 37 upon the mere assembling of the electrical plug parts and tightening-up the retaining screws 26, 27, and equivalent. The outer end 38 of the cord protecting spring 15 maybe provided with a recessed thimble 38 of insulation, thereby attaining minimum frictional wear of the outer end of the spring on the cord 39 passing therethrough.

It will be understood that the ends of the leads 40, 41 are opened up and the insulation' stripped,V `to expose the enclosed electrical wires for connection with the respective screws 42, 43 of the electrical elements 31.

From the above descriptionA of my inven` tion, it will be perceived that my armoring means is assembled to receive and withstand the strains and compressions arising upon tightening-up the screws or equivalent. Such strains, while somewhat localized in the metal armor at the areas of engagement of the i threaded and headed ends of such screws or equivalent, are however distributed over the body portions of the armoring plates, and thus protect the delicate insulation shell parts. The metal armor also readily withstands blows and protects the insulation from being chipped or cracked.

In the form of my armoring means as illustrated in the drawing, additional strain relief is furnished by my armoring means by the provision of the flanged or stepped extensions for receiving and retaining the cord protecting spring. In Fig. 5, I have illustrated a position of the electrical cord 39, its protecting spring 15 assumed recurrently as when the plug 12, 13 is used with an electrical heating'iron, soldering iron and the like.

A's is indicated inFig. 4, my armoring means 12, 13 extends preferably also at the lateral edges of the electrical plug 10, 11, such lateral extensions designated 12a, 13a. being preferably overlapping as is indicated at 44. If such ends 12a, 13a, do not'overlap, it is desirable to locate the abutting edges of the same out of alignment with the plane of engagement of the inner faces of the insulation sections 10, 11, for precluding moisture or other foreign substances into the electrical parts, and for preventing the insertion of a tool such as a screw driver, pen knife and the like therebetween.

lvIy insulation sections are preferably' of interlocking type and duplicate molded formation. As is indicated in Fig. 3, one form of interlocking embodies lthe elevated ridge 45 at the upper left-hand portion of the insulation section 11 and'closely thereto of the depressed ridge section 46. At the upper righthand portion of the section 11, see Fig. 3, I provide a depressed ridge portion 47', the depression of which corresponds to the extent of elevation of the elevated portion 45, to thereby receive the corresponding elevated portion 45a, of the insulation section 10 appearing at the right-hand in Fig. 3. Adjacent to the depressed ridge portion 47 I also provide the elevated ridge portion 48 having an elevation corresponding to the extent of depression of the depressed ridge portion 46, to thereby receive the corresponding depressed portion 46a' of the insulation section 10, shown at the right in Fig. 3. The depressed ridge at theupper right-hand portion of the insulation section 10 is marked 47a and the adjacent elevated ridge portion is marked 48a, which respectively coact with the left-hand elevated ridge 45 and depressed ridge 46. .Accordingly upon assembly of the coacting insulation sections 10, 11, their juxtaposed faces abut one another, accurately thus and readily aligning the insulation sections 10, 11 with one another, and retaining the same after securement of the retaining screws or equivalent.

The armoring sections 12, 13, are preferablyof duplicate form by original punching operation, the opposite lateral outwardly extending edge portions 44, 44 being formed by secondary punching operation, also, preferably, each armoring section 12, 13, is provided with a tongue 50, see Figs. 1 and 2, each of which is formed from the body portion of its section by suitable U-shaped slot and bent inwardly, thereby serving to resiliently press the insulating sections 10, 11, toward one another upon assembling the armoring sctions 12, 13, by their retaining screws 16, 1

It will be observed that by my armoring means serving to retain the protecting spring of the cord 39, the usual grooves formed at the upper ends of the insulating sections 10, 11, is obviated, thereby relieving the relatively delicate insulation of strains arising in the use of the plug, and particularly of strains directed at an angle to the strains of compression effected by the usual screws for retaining the insulating sections in position relative to one another.

As indicated hereinabove, my armoriiig means forms an envelope substantially completely surrounding the insulation, thereby protecting the insulation from injury by contact with other objects, or when dropped or the like. As appears from my invention, my ariiioring means may be made of metal, or facilitating the formation of the armoring sections, cheapness of cost and readibility of finish or ornamentation, and when assembled relative to the insulating sections is protected from the live electrical parts by the insulating sections.

Whereas I have described my invention by reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In an electrical plug or like attachment device, the combination of a set of sections of insulation material, a set of elements formed of metal disposed exteriorly of said set of insulation sections, said metal sections being provided with projecting portions extending toward said insulation sections respectively and means for connecting said metal sections to one another and therewith disposing said projecting portions in resilient pressure against said insulation sections to retain said insulation sections in position.

2. In an electrical plug or like attachment device, the combination of a set of sections of insulation material, said insulation sections being provided with registering openings, a set of elements formed of metal disposed eX- teriorly of said set ofy insulation sections, said metal sections being provided with openings registering with one another and with said registering openings, said metal sections being provided with projecting portions extending' toward said insulation sections respectively and elements .disposed in said registering openings for securing said metal sections iii position relative to vone another and to dispose said projecting portions in resilient engagementl under pressure against said insulation sections.-

3. vIn an electrical plug or like attachment device, the combination of a set of sections of insulation material, a set of elements formed of metal disposed exteriorly of said set of insulation sections, said metal sections being provided with projecting portions extending toward said insulation sections respectively and adjustable means for connecting said metal sections to one another and therewith disposing said projecting portions in resilient pressure against said insulation sections to retain said'insulation sections in position.

Y 4. I n an electrical plug-or like attachment device, tlie combination of insulation material provided with cavities for the reception of electrical terminals, said cavities extending jointly to one face of said plug for the reception oi. conductoi's leading to said terminals, a set of elements formed of metal disposed exteriorly of said insulation, said metal elements substantially completely embracing said insulation except at said one face, and means for connecting said metal sections and said insulation to one another, said metal sections projecting beyond said insulation at said one face, said projecting portions being bent toward one another to form an opening in said metal casing of a predetermined diameter when said metal sections are connected to one another, coil spring means for embracing said conductors at said one face, said coil spring means having a diameter materially less than said pre-deterj mined diameter of the opening in said metal casing.

` 5. In an electrical plug or like attachment device, the combination of insulation material provided with cavities for the reception of electrical terminals, said cavities extending jointly to one face of said plug for the reception of conductors leading to said terminals, a set of elements formed of metal disposed exteriorly of said insulation, said metal elements substantially completely embracing said insulation except at said one face, and means for connecting said metal sections and said insulation to one another, said metal sections projecting beyond said insulation at said one face, said projecting portions being bent toward one another to form an opening in said metal casing of a pre-determined diameter when said metal sections are connected to one another, coil spring means for embracing said conductors at said one face, said coil spring means having a diameter materially less than said pre-determined diameter face being recessed, said metal vsections having projections at said certain face to extend Within said recesses.

6. In an electrical plug or like attachment device, the combination of insulation mate rial provided with cavities for the reception of electrical terminals, a set of interitting elements formed of metal exteriorly of said insulation, said metal elements having abutting edges at certain side faces of said insulation, said abutting edges being oifset in a plurality of directions With intertting cutaway and tongue portions of the respective sections, and means for connecting said metal sections and said insulation to one another.

In testimony whereof I have'signed this specification this 15th day of December 1926.

Y VILLIAM HUPPERT. 

